Sebelius: Morrison should resign if charges proven true

Scott Rothschild

Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius today said if allegations made by a former employee of Attorney General Paul Morrison are true, then Morrison should resign.

“One deals with his conduct as an attorney in the D.A.’s office; the other is as an employer, and I think either one should trigger a resignation,” Sebelius told reporters.

Sebelius was referring to news that Morrison admitted to having a two-year extra-marital affair with former staffer Linda Carter, who has filed a complaint against him with the federal Equal Opportunity Commission.

Sebelius said she was shocked by the development, but said it was Carter’s additional allegations, that if proven, should prompt Morrison to leave office.

In a signed statement obtained by the Topeka Capital-Journal, Carter also accused Morrison of trying to influence a federal lawsuit involving his political opponent, Phill Kline, and of trying to get inside information on Kline’s activities as Johnson County District Attorney.

While admitting to the affair, Morrison has denied Carter’s other allegations.

Carter is the former director of administration for the Johnson County district attorney’s office. Morrison was district attorney for 18 years before switching to the Democratic Party last year to successfully challenge GOP conservative Kline for the attorney general’s job. Johnson County Republicans then picked Kline to take over Morrison’s old job.

Sebelius, who had welcomed Morrison when he switched to the Democratic Party, said she didn’t want to pre-judge Morrison, and noted that while he admitted to having the affair, he denied trying to use Carter to get information about Kline.